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Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy
Stakeholder Forum - 1998
IMPLEMENTING THE BINATIONAL
TOXICS STRATEGY
Octachlorostyrene Workgroup
Minutes of the Octachlorostyrene (OCS) Workgroup Meeting
April 27, 1999
Discussion Topics
Discussion in the Octachlorostyrene (OCS) workgroup focused on the following topics;
several action items were also identified.
One issue was whether or not our workgroup is close to completing work on OCS. Some
workgroup members indicated that they were eager to "declare victory" on this
substance, since levels of OCS in the environment appear to be decreasing. They believe
that we may have reached a point where actions to reduce current sources of OCS may not
lead to any significant reduction in risk, since most of the OCS in the environment
appears to have been generated in the past, by sources which no longer exist. Questions as
to how we decide when we have reached "virtual elimination" of OCS were raised.
It was pointed out that we really need to go through the four-step process, carefully
answer questions, and see where we end up. We do not just want to wrap this up quickly-we
want to be thorough and deliberate, and be able to defend our findings.
It was pointed out that we should use the decision tree prepared by Council of Great
Lakes Industries (CGLI) to help us determine whether potential sources are actual sources,
and to help us prioritize actual sources, so that we can focus our efforts on taking
actions that will have the most benefit. US EPA and Environment Canada (EC) agreed to
review this decision tree and to comment on it within the next few weeks.
There was some discussion as to whether the OCS workgroup should be combined with the
HCB/B(a)P workgroup and/or the dioxins/furans workgroup. However, it appears that, at
least for the near term, they will remain as separate workgroups.
The issue of how the OCS report was generated, and how comments received were (and will
be) handled was discussed. Some workgroup members expressed interest in making comments
available to workgroup members only, until the group had met and discussed them. They
wanted to put comments on a "protected" website for review and comment. However,
others indicated that there should be wider access to these documents. EPA discussed
logistical problems with sending documents to workgroup members via email, as opposed to
posting them on the web. As it turns out, this issue was discussed in detail at the
Integration Group meeting on Wednesday, April 28. (See the minutes from that meeting.) The
process agreed to there will be followed by the OCS workgroup.
The OCS inventory performed for Ontario was discussed. The second draft of this
inventory is now available. CGLI’s comments were helpful and are incorporated in this
version. A question was posed as to why secondary smelting was listed in the inventory as
a potential source of OCS. It was explained that it is listed because plastic is sometimes
burned in these furnaces before stripping, and when high temperatures, chlorine and carbon
are combined, it is possible that OCS formation could result. If data could be presented
to show this doesn’t happen, secondary smelting could be removed as a potential
source. It was suggested that industry be encouraged to test for OCS when they are testing
for other compounds; however, we need to keep in mind that this testing can be very
expensive.
Action Items
- Decision tree - Frank Anscombe and Debbie Siebers (EPA) and Darryl Hogg (EC) are to review
the virtual elimination decision tree and call CGLI in approximately three weeks. Later,
the decision tree is to be shared with the workgroup, and should be used in revising the
draft OCS report. It should be used to help in rating priorities of sources.
- IADN -- Frank Anscombe (EPA) and Darryl Hogg (EC) are to continue working toward addition
of OCS monitoring to the International Atmospheric Deposition Network (IADN).
- Diesel Engines -- Marcia Nishioka (Battelle) is to investigate diesel engine emission
testing, and provide further information on this potential source.
- Fish data: Debbie Siebers (EPA) is to revise the draft table of OCS levels in fish
shared at the meeting, and send it out to the workgroup via email. Darryl Hogg (EC) is to
share Ontario fish data when it becomes available (within a month or so).
- Chemist - An expert will review OCS formation chemistry and provide insight to assist in
EPA report revision, within approximately one month.
- NYSDEC contact -- Marcia Nishioka (Battelle) will contact the New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) to determine the rationale behind their drinking water
standard (6E-6 ug/l).
- Analytic Methods -- Frank Anscombe (EPA) will check on the "state of the art" in
OCS testing and let Rubber Manufacturer’s Association know what he learns.
- Testing - The Rubber Manufacturer’s Association plans to conduct additional analyses
for HCB in May/June, repeating tests they conducted in 1994. Those tests showed HCB for
one data point; they believe that was an erroneous result. They may conduct tests for OCS
as well, but are unsure at this point. We need to provide them a method (see 7 above).
They will check whether EPA could be involved/witness the testing.
- Seek more Environmentalist involvement-This issue was raised at the Integration Group
meeting on April 28. EPA/EC are to follow-up with National Wildlife Federation and Great
Lakes United.
- Conference call - A call to discuss comments and responses was tentatively scheduled for
mid- to late June. EPA/EC are to contact the workgroup and establish a time.
- Report revision-Battelle and EPA are to continue working on comment responses and report
revision.
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